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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · face · drill · cabinet · branch · racket · chip · leaves

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. chip — to eat
  4. branch — a division
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. face — to point toward
  20. drill — a practice
  21. face — to confront
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com